Machine for applying closures of thin flexible material to containers



Jan. 16, 1940. 1, L, WILCOX MACHINE FOR APPLYING CLOSURES 0F THINFLEXIBLE MATERIAL TO CQNTAINERS Filed Dec. 1, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. BY Baacji Mica/Y W rfi dm ATTORNEYQ:

Jan. 16, 1940. I. 1.. WILCOX 2,187,190

MACHINE FOR APPLYING CLOSURES 0F THIN FLEXIBLE MATERIAL T0 CONTAINERS INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY5 l. L. WILCOX MACHINE FOR APPLYING CLOSURES OF THIN FLEXIBLEMATERIAL TO CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 1, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEY-7.

fiaac L wzw Jan. 16, 1940. i w cox 2,187,190

MACHINE FOR APPLYING CLOSURES OF THIN FLEXIBLE MATERIAL TO CONTAINERSFiled Dec. 1, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 II E g I H W I W W "#2.,"

Isaac L; M100)! BY gmzz 9P @z ATTORNEYS T INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. l6, 1940 UNITED STATES MACHINE FOR Elk-V; LEXBLE Isaac L.Wilcox, Fulton, N.

PATENT OFFICE APPLYING MATERIAL TQ CONTAIN- CLOSURES Y.. assignor to 0|-wego Falls Corporation, Fulton, N. Y.. a corporation of New Y orkApplication 1, 1937, Serial No. 177,582

scum.

The invention has as an type referred The invention has as a furtherobject a particu larly simple and efficient means for preliminarilyseparating or buckling the top disk in the stack formation preparatoryto its removal from the stack and its transfer to the container.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations andconstructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in allthe views.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of bodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the machine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a central sectional view of the machine.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the stacksuDPOrting mechanism, sheet buckling means and contiguous portion of thea machine emdisk transfer member illustrating the sheet buckling meansin operative position.

Figure 5 is a view, similar to Figure 4, with the sheet buckling meansin inoperative position and illustrating the transfer of the top sheetof the stack to the transfer plate.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on lines 6-6, Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view of the sealing head.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the sealing head with parts broken away.

Figure 9 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of one of thesealed containers.

The machine comprises a bed plate Ill supported by a plurality of postsor columns ii and at its ends-by legs ll etxending downwardly to thefloor.

A conveyor belt is is arranged along one side of the deck or top plateI2 and operates over drums l6 journalled at each end of the topstructure, one of the drums being mounted in adjustable bearings l1 toeflect proper tension of ,the conveyor belt IS. The conveyor belt movesin the direction of the arrow Figure 1.

The containers are placed on the left end of the conveyor l5 Figure 1,and are moved forwardly until they engage with a plate 2| forming a partof an operating mechanism for the clutch which connects the operatingparts of the machine with a motor 22. The motor 22 is mounted on the bedplate i0 and is connected to or provided with a speed reducing device23. As here shown, the motor 22 is connected to the speed reducingdevice by belts 24 trained over a pulley 25. The driven shaft 28 of thespeed reducing device is connected to the conveyor l5 by means of chain21, and also connected to a main shaft 28 by chain 29 operable over asprocket secured to the clutch section 30 freely mounted on shaft 28 andheld from endwise movement.

The movable section 3| of the clutch is slidably connected to the shaft28 and is controlled by a rod 32 pivotally connected to a bar 33. Thebar 33 is pivotally mounted at 34 to the bed plate It and extendsupwardly througha slot 35 in the top plate i2, and is connected to theplate 2| by rods 36, 31. The clutch is normally in dis engaged positionas shown in Figure 3, at which time the lever 33 is maintainedyieldingly in forward position by spring 39, see Figure 2. As thecontainers 20 are moved to the right Figure 1, they engage the plate 2|moving the lever 33 rearwardly about its,pivot 34 eifecting anengagement of the clutch. The clutch is of the one revolution type, anda single revolution of the shaft 28 effects operation of the machinethrough a cycle. The shaft is journalled in bearings l0 adjustablymounted on post II.

The shaft 23 is provided at one end with a cylindrical cam 42. The cam42 operates mechanism to move the container 20, which has justpreviously engaged the plate 2| and operated the clutch, inwardly offfrom the conveyor belt l5. This mechanism comprises a U shaped plate 43secured to a shaft 44 slidably mounted in blocks 45 carried by a bracket43 secured to the top plate l2 and extending outwardly from the flushwith the top side of the machine. The shaft 44 and plate 48 arereciprocated by a lever 41 pivoted at its lower end to the base plateIt, as at 46, and being pivotally connected at its upper-end to theshaft 44. The lever 41 is provided with a roller 49 arranged to engagethe outer edge of the cylindrical cam 42. The lever 41 is urgedoutwardly by the high portion of the cam 42 and yieldingly urgedinwardly'by a spring 50. Upon rotation of the shaft 28 and cam 42, lever41 together with shaft 44 anad plate 43 are moved inwardly by spring 50,and the container is moved inwardly onto a container support 5| securedto the upper end of a rod 52 slidably mounted in the base plate Ill.

The container support 5| is formed with slots to receive rails 53 fixedin spaced apart relationship in the top plate I! and extending parallelwith the conveyor belt i5 with the u per edges of the rails flush withthe upper run of the belt I5. The top surface of the inner side of thecontainer support 5| is provided with two spaced apart projections 54.The shaft 52 is reciprocated vertically, and the mechanism that effectsthis movement is so timed relative to the position of cam 42 that thetop surface of the container support 5| is arranged flush with the upperedges of the rails 53 during the inward movement of the plate 43. Thatis, the projections 54 are positioned in the path of the movement of thecontainer 26 by the plate 43, and the function of the projections 54 isto locate the container in a predetermined position on the containersupport. After the closure has been secured to the top of the container,the container support 5| is moved downwardly to the position shown inFigure 3, with the top surface of the container support below the topedges of the rails 53 and the tops of the projections 54 edges of therails 53. Additional mechanism, to be hereinafter described, is thensubsequently operable to move the closed container to the right inFigure 1 off from the container support 5|.

As here shown, the closures consist of separate sheets or disks arrangedin a stack formation 56 positioned on a disk 51 secured to the upper endof a shaft 58 also slidably mounted in the frame of the machine forvertical movement. The stack formation 56 is encircled by a cup member59, the bottom portion 60 of which is arranged beneath the disk 51 andincludes a hub portion 6| slidably mounted upon shaft 56. The cup member59 is yieldingly held upwardly in engagement with the disk 51 by ahelical compression spring 62, the lower end of which abuts against acollar 63 secured to the shaft 58. The side wall of the cup member 59 isprovided with a plurality of axially extending slots 64 for convenienceof inserting and removing the stack formation 56.

Transfer mechanism is provided for selecting the topmost disk of thestack formation and transferring the same to a position over the top ofthe container 26 resting upon the container support 5|.

As here shown, this transfer mechanism includes a plate member 66journalled on a vertical axis intermediate the stack formation and thecontainer support 5|. The plate 66 is formed with a depending hubportion .61 and with a plurality of radially extending arms. In thestructure here shown, the plate is formed with two arms, the outer endsof which are connected by an arcuate portion 66 which acts in the natureof a guard during rotation of the plate to le the likelihood of injuryto the operator. The hub portion 61 is mounted on and secured to asleeve 66, the lower end of which is provided with an integral gear 10.The sleeve 66 is rotatably mounted on a tubular member II, the lower endof which extends through a flanged member 12 to which it is secured by ashrink or press fit. The flange I2 is bolted, or otherwise firmlysecured, to the top plate II. The sleeve 66 extends upwardly beyond thetop surface of the plate 66, and the tubular member 1| extends upwardlyan appreciable distance beyond the upper end of the sleeve 66.

The outer end of each arm is formed with a circular aperture 13, and thelower marginal surface about the aperture I3 is recessed to receive anannular member 14, see Figures 4 and 5, which is secured in place as byscrews 15. The plate 66 is so formed that the apertures 13 are arrangedin axial alinement with the stack formation 56 and with the containerarranged on the container support 6|. When the stack support is in downposition, as shown in Figure 5, and the-container support 5| is also indown position, as shown in Figure 3, the arms of the transfer plate 66pass over the stack formation and the top of the container when thetransferplate is rotated about the tubular member II. The plate 66 isintermittently rotated, and with the plate provided with two diagonallyarranged arms as here shown, the rotation is through an arc of Mechanismis provided for frictionally securing the topmost disk of the stackformation to the arm or annular member 14 then positioned over the stackand the plate 66 then rotated to position the selected disk over thecontainer 20 on the container support. The container support is thenelevated, moving the top of the container through the aperture 13,removing the disk from the annular member 14 and upon further upwardmovement of the container the same is moved into a sealing member whichsecures the disk to the top of the container. The'contalnersparticularly referred to herein consist of an outer fibrous casingformed of paper-board, or like material, into which a liner bag of thin,flexible material, such as Cellophane, is inserted and the open end ofthe bag folded outwardly over the upper edge of the casing. Suchcontainers are particularly desirable for use in connection withproducts or commodities requiring a light weight, liquid and/or gastight, receptacle. Frequently, it is desirable that these containers beclosed and sealed with Cellophane. By using a Cellophane closure, theadvantages of the Cellophane liner bag are retained and the transparencyof the closure affords a ready means of the customer examining thecontents of the container without breaking thev seal thereof.

To those familiar with the handling of Cellophane, it will beappreciated that considerable difficulty is encountered in handlingindividual sheets or disks of Cellophane, particularly by any automaticmechanism or machine. Generally, the Cellophane closure disks are formedby cutting a plurality of such disks from a stack of Cellophane sheetswith a hollow circular knife. This method of cutting has atendency tocompress the disks tightly together and to partially roll or bend theperipheral edges of the disks into overlapping relationship. This inadditiomto the fact that the Cellophane sheets are extremely thin,flexible and smooth; make it extremely difficult to separate one sheetfrom a plurality are-1,100

of disks arranged in stock formation However. I have devised a mechanismfor accomplishing this result and which mechanism I iind functions withgreat efficiency. The top sheet of the disk formation 88 is frictionallysecured to the annular member 18 by means of vacuum. However. I havefound that it is dimcult. if not impossible, to separate the'top' diskof the stack formation by vacuum. I have also found that it is notpossible todo this by preliminarily using any of the conventional formsof sheet bucklingdevices. It will be understood that the surface of theCellophane is extremely smooth and slippery, and that the inherentcharacteristics of the sheet are entirely different from that of paperor other sheet material.

ranged inspaced apart relationship and means operable to move these padsinto engagement with I the topmost disk of the stack and to effect aspreading action of the pads during such engagement. More specificallythis mechanism, as here shown, includes a semi-elliptical spring member18, to the ends of which are secured friction pads 11 of rubber or likematerial. The spring member 18 is secured intermediate its ends to a rod18 extending upwardly and adjustably secured to one end of a crossmember 18, the opposite end of which is adiustabiy secured to a rod 88extending downwardly through a guide sleeve 8| carried by the frame ofthe machine. The lower end of the rod 88 is attached to aheiical'tension spring 82, the lower end of which is attached to thebase plate l8. Accordina y, the rods 18, 88 are yieldingly urgeddownwardly. A lever 88 is pivotally mounted at one end in a post 88extending from the base plate l8 to the top plate l2. The opposite endof the lever 881s plvotally connected to the lower end of rod 88, as at88. Intermediate its ends, the lever 88 is provided with a followerroller 88 engagingv the surface of a cam 81. Upon rotation of the shaft28, the lever 88 is moved upwardly and eifects upward movement of rods18, 88 to position the pads 11 above the member 88, see Figure 5. Whenthe follower roller 88 engages the low portion of cam 81, the rods 18,88 are moved downwardly by spring 82, bringing the pads 11 intoengagement with the disks of the stack formation and under the tensionof spring 82. The tension of spring 82 is sumcient to cause a flexing ofthe spring member 18 which, in turn causes a spreading movement of thepads 11.

In conventional sheet buckling mechanisms, one or more friction pads areused. However, these pads are moved toward each other to buckle up theintervening portion of the sheet, or one pad is used in connection witha stationary member. Due to the characteristics of the Cellophane sheet,I have found that such mechanisms will not operate on this material.However, I find that the spreading movement of the pads 11 causesopposite sides of the top disk to curl upwardly as indicated at 88,Figure 4. This permits air toenter under each side of the disk and afterthe pads 11 are elevated out of engagement with the stack formation, thetopmost disk remains preliminarily separated from the stack formation,and the vacuum means connected with the transfer plate 88 is thenoperable to secure this separated disk to the transfer plate or annularmember 18.

. The vertical movement of the spring .18 and pads 11 is through theaperture 18 in plate 88. That is, the operating mechanism of themachine,

ferred out of shaft 28 and tobeheminafterdescribedissuchthatduringtrated in Figure 8. This upward movement of the shaft 88 is undertension of spring 88, the lower end of which is secured to the rod 88and the upper end to the under side of the deck plate l2. Downwardmovement of the shaft 88 is positive, and is effected by a cam 8| alsomounted on shaft 28, the periphery of which engages a roller 82 mountedintermediate the ends of a lever 88. One end of the lever 88 is pivotedon a pin 88 carried by a short post88 mounted on the base plate Theopposite end of the lever 88 is pivotally connected to shaft 88. Thecams 81, 8| are so arranged on shaft 28 as to effect the bucklingoperation, or the preliminary separation of the topmost sheet from thestack, and subsequently to elevate the stack into engagement with theannular member 18. The spring 88 compensates for the movement of shaft88 as the sheets are transthestack formation 88. The cup member 88 ispressed into engagement with the under side of the plate 88 by spring82.

The upper side of annular member 18 is formed with an annular recess 88,and the annular member 18 is formed with a plurality of small holes orapertures 88 extending from the underside of said member to the annularrecess 88. The plate member 88 is formed with passages l88,-the outerends of which communicate with the annular recess 88, and the inner endscommunicate with an axially extending passagel8l formed in the hubPortion 81. It is to be understood that the outer end of each arm of theplate 88 is provided with an aperture 18, an annular member 18 andpassages I88, I81. The hub member 81 .and the sleeve 88 are formed withpassages I82 extending radially inwardly and communicate with an arcuategroove I 88 formed in the tubular member 1| intermediate its, ends. Thismember is also formed with an axially extending passage I88 extendingdownwardly from the arcuate groove I88 and opening through the bottomend of said member and to which a conduit I88 is connected and whichextends from a vacuum pump I81 operatively connected to the motor 22.

The semi-arcuate passage I88 is so arranged that vacuum is produced inthe apertures 88 of both annular members 18 while plate 88 is stationaryin the position shown in Figures 1 and 3, but during rotation of plate88, vacuum is supplied only to the annular member moving from the stack88 to the container on the container support II. p

As previously stated, the rotary movement of plate 88 is intermittent.Any suitable mechanical movement may be employed to effect theintermittent movement of the transfer plate 88. As here shown, thismovement is effected by a Geneva motion consisting of the conventionaldriving member H8 and driven member III to which a gear H2 is secured,as by screws 8. The gear "2 is arranged to mesh with the gear 18 on thebottom of sleeve 81. The driving member H8 is secured to the upper endof a vertically arranged shaft 8 journailed in a bearing member H5depending from the under side of the top plate l2. A beveled gear 8 issecured to the lower end of the shaft 8 and meshes with a similar gear 1secured to the shaft 28. The gears between the sleeve 81, and the Genevamotion, are so proportioned and arranged asto eifect intermittentmovement of the transfer plate 88 at the proper time relative .to theoperation of the other movable members of. the machine previouslyreferred to. I

Upon rotation of the transfer plate '88 through an arc of 180 the disk,frictionally secured thereto by the vacuum system previously described,is transferred to a position over the top of the .con-

tainer 28 resting upon the support 8I. While the movable parts of themachine are in this position, the container support 8| is elevated ormoved axially toward the end of the transfer plate 88 causing the upperend of the container to pass through the aperture 13 and remove theclosure disk from the member 14 and fold the peripheral margin of thedisk downwardly about the upper edge of the container. The upwardmovement of the rod 82 is effected by a lever I I8 pivoted at one end toa short postI I8 on the base plate I8 and connected at its opposite endto the rod 82. A helical tension spring I28 is connected at its upperend to the under side of plate I2 and at its lower end to the lever II8.

The lever H8 is provided with a follower roller I2I arranged to engagethe periphery of a cam I22 mounted on the shaft 28; The lever I I8 isurged upwardly by spring I28 and is moved downwardly by cam I22. I

Th sealing of the peripheral margin of the closure disk to the top ofthe container is preferably accomplished by use of a suitable adhesivewhich has been previously applied to the overlapping portion of theliner bag, or on the peripheral surface of the top of the container. Aspreviously stated, the peripheral margin of the closure disk is foldeddownwardly aboutthe peripheral surface of the top of the container asthe same is moved upwardly through the aperture 13 and transfer member88. When the adhesive used is of the thermo-plastic type, or for 3 anyother reason it is desired to apply heat to the closure disk, themachine is provided with a sealing head or member arranged above thetransfer member 88 and in axial alinement with the container support II.

The sealing head is secured to and carried by a bracket I38 which, inturn, is secured to a sleeve I3I which, in turn,.is adjustably securedto the tubular member 1I, this adjustment being effected bymanipulationof the screw I32, see Figures l and 3.

The sealing head proper consists of a plurality of sections or quadrantsI33 having depending arcuate flanges I34, the lower inner surfaces ofwhich are beveled as at I38, and the upper side of the members arelikewise beveled as at I38. The arcuate members I33 are mounted betweenupper and lower plates I31, I38, and these plates are secured togetherby screws I33. The members I33 are slidably mounted between the platesI31, I38, and are formed with radially extending projections I48 whichextend outwardly through slots arranged in the plates I31 and I38, andthe arrangement is such that the membars I 33 have a radially slidingmovement relative to the plates I31, I38. The members I33 are, normallymaintained in inward or contracted position by means of a coiled springI secured at its ends to plates I31, I38 by means of brackets I43, andwhichspring encircles the periphery of the plates and engages the outerends of the projections I48, see Figure 8. The plates I31, I38 aresecured to the bracket I33 by studs I48.

, After the topmost disk of the stack formation 88 has been transferredto a position over the a container on the container support II, and thecontainer support has been moved upwardly moving the top of thecontainer through the aperture 13 of' the transfer member 88 and therebyremoving the disk from the transfer member, further upward movement ofthe container support 8I moves the top of the container into the arcuatemembers I33. The members I33, through the action of spring I, yieldinglyiron or press the peripheral margin I28 of the closure disk against theouter surface of the top of the container, or the overfolded portion ofthe liner bag, see Figure 9, and to aid in the completion of the sealbetween the closure disk and the container or bag the segments I33 areheated by heating coils I48 arranged in the plates I31, I38. The heatingcoils I43 are energized by conductors I 49 connected to a suitablesource of current. At this time, the container support 8I has moveddownwardly to the position shown in Figure 3, so that the bottom of thecontainer is supported upon the rails 88 and the projections 84 arearranged beneath the bottom of the container.

The sealed container is then moved forwardly onto the desk plate I2 by apusher member I88 secured to a shaft I8I slidably mounted in bearingsI82 and which is reciprocated by a bar I83 pivotally mounted at itslower end at I84, see Figures 2 and 3, and, which is provided with a camfollower I85 cooperable with a cam I88. The bar I83 and the pushermember I88 are moved forwardly by spring I81, and these members arereturned to normal position, see Figures 1 and 2, by actionof cam I88.As here shown, the deck plate is provided with an arcuate guide memberI88 which directs the sealed containers I88 onto the conveyor belt I 8and the angular guide member I18 in turn directs the sealed containersto the available storage space on deck plate I2 from whence they may beremoved to the packing case.

In order to insure downward movement of the container out of the sealinghead and downwardly through apertures 13 in the transfer plate, themachine is provided with a presser plate I88 mounted on the lower end ofa rod I8I, the upper end of which is adjustably secured to one end of atransversely extending member I82, the opposite end being adjustablysecured to a vertically arranged shaft I83 slidably mounted in thetubular member H. The shaft I83 is urged upwardly by spring I84, theupper end of the spring being secured to the under side of the deckplate I2, and the opposite end to the lower end of the shaft I83. Theshaft is moved downwardly by action of a cam I88 secured to the shaft28, and which is cooperable with a link I88 arranged in the same manneras the links 83, H8 previously referred to. The cam I88 is arranged onshaft 28 to effect downward movement of the presser plate I88 until thetop of the sealed container is positioned below the transfer plate 88,whereupon the presser plate is returned to its up position, see Figure'7.

In order to prevent the possibility of the adhesive or any spilledcontents of the container from sticking to and accumulating upon the segments I33 of the sealing head, I form the presser plate I88 with one ormore circumferential grooves, I H and the lower end of the presser plateI88 is provided with a radially extending flange I12, the top and bottomedges of which are beveled to conveniently effect the opening or outwardmovement of the segments I33 upon retainer support ll, As the presserplate I" trav els downwardly through the segments I33 and flange I12passes out of the sealing head, the members Ill contract and anyaccumulation of adhesive or other material is removed by the groovesI'll, thus permitting the machine to be operated over long periods oftime without the necessity ofstopping the same except for thereplacement of the disk stack formation It. However, inasmuch as theCellophane disks are extremely thin, a stack formation containingseveral hundred disks may be inserted in the cup member I! at one time.In connection with cup member 58, I call attention to the fact that thedisk 51 which supports the stack formation is secured to the upper endof shaft 58 in such manner as to have a slight universal movementrelative thereto, see Figures i and 5. This permits the stack toproperly face with the lower edge of annular member 14 when rod 58 iselevated and accordingly, permits the vacuum system to operateefficiently in securing the topmost disk to the transfer member.

I also desire to call attention to the fact that the machine may bequickly and conveniently adjusted to accommodate containers of differentheights, this being accomplished by adjusting shaft I i axially relativeto shaft I 53, and in adjusting member III to which the supportingbracket I30 for the sealing head is secured axially of tubular memberII, the maximum height of the container being controlled by the distancefrom the bottom of the transfer member 68 to deck plate l2.

What I claim is:

1. A machine for applying closure disks of thin, flexible material tocontainers comprising a frame, a movable member arranged to support aplurality of disks in stack formation, an annular member, a containersupport arranged to support the container in axial alinement with saidannular member, a transfer member 'movably mounted on the frame andoperable to transfer the disks from said stack formation to a positionover the top of the container on the container support, means operableto preliminarily separate the topmost disk from the stack, meanssubsequently operable to move said movable member to bring the top ofthe stack into engagement with said transfer member, vacuum meansconnected to said transfer member and operable to secure said topmostdisk to the transfer member, means operable to move said transfer memberto position the disk over the top of the container, and means for movingsaid container support toward said annular member to move the top of thecontainer with the disk thereon into said annular member, and saidmember being operable-to secure the peripheral edge of the disk to thecontainer.

2. A machine for applying closure disks of thin, flexible material tocontainers comprising a frame, a stack support slidably mounted in theframe and arranged to support a plurality of said disks in stackformation, a cylindrical member encircling the stack formation and beingyielding- 1y movable relatively thereto, an annular member mounted onthe frame, a container support arranged to position a container in axialalinement with said annular member, a transfer member iournalledontheframeandbeingprovidedwith a radially extending arm. the outer end ofwhich is movable from a position over said stack formation to a positionover the container on the "container support, means operable to movesaid cylinder and the top of the stack into engagement with said arm,and vacuum means connected to said arm and operable to secure thetopmost disk of said stack to the arm, means operable subsequently toeffect movement of said arm to position said disk over the top of thecontainer, means for moving the container support axially toward saidannular member to move the top of the container and said disk into theannular member, and said annular member being operable to secure theperipheral margin of the disk to the container.

- 3. A machine for applying closure disks of thin, flexible material tocontainers comprising a frame, a stack support slidably mounted in theframe and arranged tosupport a plurality of disks in stack formation, asealing member, a container support arranged to support the container inaxial alinement with said sealing member, a transfer member Journalledon the frame and being provided with a plurality of radially extendingarms successively movable from a position over the top of the stackformation to a position over the top of the container on the containersupport, means operable to preliminarily separate the topmost disk fromthe stack, and means subsequently operable to move said stack support tobring the topof the stack into enj gagement with the arm of the transfermember positioned over thestack, said arm being provided with means forsecuring the topmost disk of the stack to the arms upon engagement ofthe stack with the arms, means operable to move said transfer member toposition the arm with the disk secured thereto over the 'top of thecontainer, means for moving said container support towards said sealingmember to bring the top of the container with the disk thereon intoengagement with said member, and said member being operable to seal theperipheral edge of the disk to the container.

4. A machine for applying closure disks of thin, flexible material tocontainers comprising a suitable frame, a container support, a closuresealing head arranged above said container support, a presser platepositioned above said sealing head, said container support, sealinghead, and presser plate being arranged in axial alinement, and means forsuspending a closure disk between the top of a container on said supportand said sealing head, including an annular series of radially movablesegmental members operable, upon relative axial movement between thecontainer support and said sealing head, to yieldingly press the marginof the closure disk against the top of the container, said presser platebeing operable, upon axial movement relative to said sealing head andduring reverse movement between said containersupport and the sealinghead, to expand said segmental members and move the container out ofsaid sealing head.

5. A machine for applying closure disks of thin, flexible material tocontainers comprising a suitable frame, a container support, a closuresealing head arranged above said container support, a presser platepositioned above said sealing head, said container support, sealinghead, and presser plate being arranged in axial alinement, and means forsuspending a closure disk between the top of a container on saidcontainer support and aaidsealing head, saidsealingheadlncludinganannular series of radially movable segmental members operable, uponrelative axial movement between the container support and said sealinghead, to yieldingly press the margin of the closure disk against the topof the container, means operable to move said presser plate into saidsealing head during reverse relative movement between the containersupport and said head, said presser plate being operable to expand saidsegmental members and to move the container out of the head, and saidpresser plate being operable during the 'retum movement thereof toremove any foreign matter from the face of said segmental members.

6. A machine for applying closure disks of thin flexible material to thetops of containers comprising a suitable frame, a container supportarranged in the frame and being movable vertically, a plate arrangedabove said container support and being operable to suspend a closuredisk over the top of a container on said support, a sealing headpositioned above said plate and including a plurality of radiallymovable segmental members, and means for heating said members, saidmembers being operable, upon movement of the container=support upwardly,to yieldingly press the margin of the closure disk against the top ofthe container, a presser plate normally positioned above said sealinghead and being movable downwardly through said head, said presser platebeing operable, upon downward movement, to expand said segmental membersand move the top of the container out of the same, the upper portion ofsaid plate being of cylindrical formation and being provided with acircumferential groove and being operable to remove any foreign materialfrom the face of said segmental members upon the return movement of thepresser plate.

7. A machine for applying closure disks of thin, flexible material tothe tops of containers comprising a frame, a cup-shaped member, a platearranged to support a plurality of closure disks in stack formation insaid cup member, a container support, a closure sealing head arrangedabove the container support and being operable, upon relative axialmovement between the container support and said head, to secure aclosure to the container, a transfer member movably mounted on theframe, and means for positioning said transfer member over said cupmember, means operable to move said cup member vertically intoengagement with the under side of said transfer member, and tosubsequently move said plate to bring the top of said stack formationinto engagement with the underside of said plate, vacuum means connectedto said transfer member and operable to secure the topmost disk of saidstack formation to the transfer member, means operable to subsequentlymove said stack formation and said cup downwardly from said transfermember, and to move the latter to position the disk over the top of thecontainer on said support, and means for moving said container supporttowards said sealing head to move the top of the container with the diskthereon into said head, and to subsequently remove the container fromthe head.

8. A machine for applying disk closures formed of thin, flexiblematerial to containers comprising a suitable frame, an annular memberformed with an aperture to slidably receive the top of the container, acontainer support arranged to position the container in axial alinementwith said annular member, a tubular member arranged to support aplurality of said disks in stack formation, a transfer member journalledin the frame and having a radially extending arm portion provided withan aperture at its outer end arranged in axial alinement wtih said stackformation and being movable to a position in axial alinement with saidcontainer, a support arranged above said stack formation, a pair offriction pads secured to the lower end of said support and arranged inspaced apart relationship, said support being normally arranged toposition said friction pads in alinement with the aperture in said armand above the same, means operable to move said support downwardly tomove said pads through the aperture of the arm and into engagement withthe top of the stack and to effect a yielding spreading action of saidpads during such engagement, and to subsequently move said supportupwardly to normal position, means operable to elevate said stacksupport to move the stack into engagement with said

